Tag Archives: homelessness
Salvation Army’s handling of downtown shelter closure draws Council criticism
The Salvation Army’s handling of the closure of its downtown shelter was the target of criticism at City Council’s Public Health Committee meeting on Wednesday. Critiques came from Mayor Kirk Watson, members of City Council, and clients of the shelter…
Housing • By Nina Hernandez • Mar 9, 2023
HACA shifts voucher allocation to let housing groups assist homeless
The Housing Authority of the City of Austin has shifted 300 of its housing vouchers to be more available to those experiencing homelessness, in a move aimed at helping the city reduce the number of people in chronic need of…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Mar 7, 2023
Notley/Monitor Poll: Austinites want reinstated camping bans on the homeless enforced
Austin residents feel the city isn’t doing enough to manage the effects of homelessness throughout the area, according to a January/February poll of 429 voters commissioned by Notley and conducted by national pollster Change Research for the Austin Monitor. Homelessness has…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Feb 16, 2023
Audit shows flaws in city’s plans for cold weather shelters
An audit presented to the City Council Audit & Finance committee last week says the city is not keeping up with planning for cold weather shelters and that city staff have not received sufficient training in dealing with people seeking…
Public Health • By Jo Clifton • Dec 20, 2022
Downtown Alliance praises 'transformation' of ARCH under new management
Just months after the management switch-up at the Austin Resource Center for the Homeless, the Downtown Austin Alliance is praising what it calls “transformational change” at the downtown men’s shelter. The alliance’s safety and hospitality committee toured the facility in…
Public Health • By Nina Hernandez • Dec 20, 2022
ECHO offers lease incentives to real estate agents for placing homeless tenants
Real estate agents in Austin have an incentive to find market-rate homes for those experiencing homelessness, and help one of the city’s main homeless services nonprofits lower the number of people facing housing instability. Austin’s Ending Community Homelessness Coalition, known…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Nov 23, 2022
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City, Central Health eye partnership for homeless respite care facility
The city may soon begin talks with Central Health and homelessness service providers focused on creating a permanent health care facility to aid those experiencing homelessness in recovering from significant illnesses and injuries. The state of respite care for the…
Planning • By Chad Swiatecki • Oct 10, 2022
Esperanza's hiatus underscores city's lack of shelter options for homeless campers
The staff at the Camp Esperanza site in Southeast Austin that is currently under construction to provide permanent small homes to formerly homeless residents acknowledge they will likely continue to receive visits from people they are unable to help for…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 26, 2022
APD officers continue to direct homeless to campsite closed for new residents
The Austin Police Department has for months continued to direct homeless individuals to a camping site that has been closed to new residents, leaving people with no legal place to find shelter while staying with their belongings. At Wednesday’s meeting…
Public Safety • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 23, 2022
Supportive housing institute to push 550 new units toward city goal of 1,300
The city’s goal to build its way out of its homelessness crisis will get a boost next year from six local organizations going through training from one of the national leaders in creating supportive housing for the homeless. Last week,…
Housing • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 19, 2022
Nearly half of homeless residents exit HEAL program without housing
Despite the city’s work to move those living in homeless encampments into permanent housing, nearly half of all temporary shelter inhabitants exit the system and return to homelessness. One hundred and two people – 48 percent of those moved into shelter…
Austin • By Chad Swiatecki • Sep 12, 2022
Advocates continue the fight for free transportation for Austin's unhoused
The start of Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s monthly board of directors meeting yesterday had a different feel than usual. Typically, a few speakers may approach the podium to speak in support of or against an item on the agenda. Yesterday, however, advocates and…
